


In the Blink of An Eye

by Caitlin SnowFrost (HarleyJQuinzel)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 12:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12168768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarleyJQuinzel/pseuds/Caitlin%20SnowFrost
Summary: Hunter Zoloman's dark obsession sees Barry Allen deserted in the hostile world of Earth Twenty.





	1. Chapter 1

There is no clear certainty  
The world you’ve known can be erased  
It can be changed as quickly as you can draw a single breath  
And it can alter everything you’ve believed in

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter One

Earth One

Barry Allen sat in the medical bay of Star Labs. The speedster clutched his left arm at the elbow, his hand alive with pain. His brow was moist from the exchange with Cisco’s fighting simulation, his t-shirt clammy against his skin. Though, without the earlier rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, he felt cold.

“You know,” Dr. Caitlin Snow marched into the room, armed with an x-ray. “When I promised ‘in sickness and in health,’ I pictured us growing old and frail together. I imagined making you chicken soup. I didn’t, however, imagine resetting your shoulder, not once, but twice, this week.” She pinned the x-ray to the highlighted screen, revealing the damage. “And now this.”

“I know,” Barry uttered, looking regretfully to his wife. Her display of simmering anger was merely a mask of her concern.

“Seven fractures!” Turning on her heel, she directed her fury to Cisco and Harry.

“It’s a good program,” Cisco Ramon’s eyes rose from his tablet. He was trying to pinpoint what had gone wrong. “Harry and I have modified it to mimic Zoom’s capabilities. As well as his fighting style. And the combat styles of all known metahumans associated with him on Earth Two. There’s just a few kinks that need smoothing out.” Tucking his brown hair behind his ears, he glanced back at the data, his brow furrowing in concentration.

“A few kinks?” Caitlin’s voice rose a notch higher.

“That I’m going to go, straighten out right now.” Having known her longer than the others, Cisco knew better to argue with an angry Caitlin. “I’ll be in the workshop.” With that, the young engineer wearing a shirt that read, ‘Have you tried turning it off and on again?’, exited hastily.

“We’re fighting a war, Snow,” Earth Two’s offering of Dr. Harrison Wells stated. Harry, as Cisco had dubbed him, stood tall, strong, and battle-hardened. As brilliant as the late Dr. Wells of their world, the scientist from an alternate universe had come up against Zoom many-a-time before. “We have to be prepared.”

“Prepared I understand. This?” Caitlin indicated to Barry’s bruised, swollen hand. “Not so much.”

“Better a broken hand, than him, or any one of us, dead.” Harry didn’t bother to sugar-coat the dangers Zoom posed to the team.

Shooting an icy stare, she countered, “But it’s not your hand that’s broken.”

Harry opened his mouth to retaliate but thought better of it. He excused himself, heading to assist Cisco.

“Cait.” Alone, Barry used her pet name, and watched her smile in spite of herself. “They’re just trying to help.”

“I know,” she conceded. 

The fears, and stresses, were getting the better of all of them. Harry trained for every possible scenario, and Caitlin became ever-cautious and fiercely over-protective. While Barry tried to be the strongest, fastest, best version of himself. To be the hero, that his wife, and the whole group, readily placed faith in.

Moving to the medical supply trolley, Caitlin prepared a syringe. She returned to Barry’s bedside, taking his good arm gently in her blue-gloved hands. She numbed the skin before she injected the painkiller. “This will work pretty much instantly.”

Given his metahuman abilities, Barry could burn through food, medicines, and other substances, at an alarming rate. Caitlin, being the world class bio-engineer, and excellent physician she was, had worked her magic, fashioning a suitable drug for the speedster.

“Whoa, yeah, it’s working…,” Barry’s vision began to blur before she’d pressed a Band-Aid to his arm. He relaxed, resting his fuzzy head on the pillow. His whole body succumbed to numbness. “You could bottle that stuff, make a small fortune.”

A smile graced her lips. Her earlier frustrations gave way to her love and concern for Barry. Her touch was soft, yet precise, as she cared from him. She worked quietly to set each of his broken fingers back into place.

“I know you’re mad,” Barry began lightly.

“Not mad. Worried,” she admitted, her eyes fully focused on the task.

“But Harry’s right,” he continued. “We have to be prepared.”

“I know.” Looping her hair around her ear, Caitlin met his eyes. “It’s just you’re the one that gets hurt in these training sessions.”

“And you’re the one who patches me up.” He smiled his boyish smile. Tried and tested, he knew how to make her give in, and smile back.

“And I always will. But that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”

They fell silent, and he watched her work. Her brown eyes were intent. He’d always admired her intense concentration. Her ability to remain calm and focused while acting as the team’s doctor, or while she ran tests, was remarkable. Despite the obstacles and perils Star Labs faced, she could shut it out, and do what needed to be done.

“Your hand’s all set,” Caitlin declared. “You’ll need to rest for a few hours, but then you’ll be good as new.”

Barry’s sight flicked to the aid attached to his hand. Each one of his fingers were supported in the futuristic-looking, medical apparatus. Testing, he wiggled his index finger. He could feel his enhanced healing already taking effect.

Sitting down next to him, Caitlin took a cotton bud, held in place by tweeters, and dabbed adeptly at the large wound on his cheek. She wore a look of concentrated worry.

Wincing at the sting, he attempted to lighten the mood between him and his girl. “Now’s probably the wrong time to tell you that you look sexy playing doctor, isn’t it?”

“Barry! This isn’t funny,” Caitlin threw him a firm look. She wanted to be professional and serious, but she couldn’t. Not when he was looking at her like that. Not when he was trying his hardest to make her laugh. Barry’s uninjured hand stilled her working one and she softened. “You could’ve been seriously hurt.”

“I wasn’t.” His thumb grazed gently over her knuckles. “Cait, I’m fine. You said so yourself. A couple of hours and I’ll be good as new.”

“I know,” she smiled. “I know that, but as your wife I’m allowed to worry.”

Barry couldn’t argue with her in the subject. He worried about her. He worried for her, and everyone he cared about. He considered the team to be his family. Caitlin quietly continued to clean out his wounds. After the initial discomfort, he settled back. He noticed her idly chewing on her bottom lip, the way she always did when something was bothering her.

“Talk to me?” he piped up then.

“What?” Her teeth stilled and she licked her lips, knowing he’d made her.

“Come on, Cait. I know something’s up.” He curled his hand around her busy wrist, and she met his eyes. Even when she worked meticulously to convey the illusion that everything was okay, he noticed these things. “You’ve been distracted today. For a couple of days. You’re biting your lower lip…. I know that Jay….”   
Caitlin stopped him mid-sentence, “Just promise me, no more of Cisco’s robots and Harry’s simulations. I worry enough when you go out in the field. I don’t want to have to worry about you here as well.”

“Okay,” Barry smiled, holding her gaze until she smiled in return. He uttered his reassurance, “no more training, I promise.”

“Okay,” she said with a nod. “You need to rest.”

Barry took the doctor’s orders and settled his back on to the pillow. He closed his eyes, giving into his body’s exhaustion. He felt the vague notion that Caitlin was holding back. The thought struck him, his mind giving into his heavy head, and Caitlin’s miracle painkiller.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Barry slept, aware of Caitlin beside him. Thanks to his healing powers, he was feeling better. The low rumble of thunder outside vibrated in his ears. He blinked in response to the flickering blue lightening.

Waking, he stared up at the white ceiling, and the harsh fluorescent lights. His head throbbing in protest, he turned sideways to look at Caitlin. “Hey,” he rasped.

“Hey, yourself,” she set her tablet down on a nearby surface, and moved to him. “How are you feeling?” She pressed a cool hand to his forehead.

“Better, much better.”

“Glad to hear it,” she said with a smile.

“All thanks to my personal physician.” Rejuvenated, he stood, encircling his arms around her waist, and kissing her.

“Your self-healing may have been a factor too,” she reminded him before kissing back. They seldom had opportunities to simply be a newly married couple, and Caitlin, normally reluctant to indulge in public displays of affection in the Labs, rose on her toes to deepen the kiss. “I miss this.”

“Me too. When this is over,” he began, “I want us to get away. Go someplace by the ocean.”

“Sounds perfect,” she whispered against his skin.

“Yeah?” he traced the hollow of her cheekbone before drawing her in for another kiss.

The sweet lull was penetrated by Cisco’s home-made metahuman detectors. Sensors blaring, Barry and Caitlin reluctantly moved apart. The numerous gages flared and bleeped in frantic warning, beckoning them to the Cortex.

Hand in hand, they moved to the command center. The computer monitors displayed the imminent danger Central City faced. Zoom’s army was comprised of many-a-metahuman he’d brought through the breach. His loyal legion was striking big time; approaching the CCPD, Picture News, and City Hall.

Amid the shrieking alarms, Cisco and Harry rushed into the Cortex. They’d all planned, and prepared for Zoom’s attack, for longer than anyone cared to remember. For several moments, no one spoke. A heavy sense of anxiety hung over them.

Barry strode to his suit. Quickly and quietly, he suited up, along with Cisco, who donned the newly-fashioned ‘Vibe’ suit and glasses. The mood between them was somber. Cisco, normally so excited to get out on the field, and test out his new toys and gadgets, wore a look of apprehension on his round, young face. He met Barry’s eye, the two shared a muted look of understanding. They knew the dangers they faced, and they would stop at nothing to protect the ones they loved, and their beloved city.

Harry stood at the desk, loading his rifle with bullets. He tossed guns, ammo, and grenades into his black bag before zipping it up, and slinging it over his shoulders. His face was determined and focused, as he geared up to fight his old enemy.

Though mere hours ago, Caitlin had been at odds with Harry, she brought him a police-issued Kevlar vest. Some of Zoom’s allies carried weapons, and Harry didn’t possess the advantage of self-healing. The bullet-proof vest was the best the doctor could offer him.

Joe and Iris West rushed in. The seasoned detective’s face was alive with worry. Joe had seen a lot in his years. He’d come up against many-an-unrelenting criminal; rapists, murderers, psychopaths, he’d faced them, and put away the scum of the earth. 

The emergence of metahumans, and parallel universes, had stretched Joe, forcing the man who appreciated the simple things in life, to acknowledge the possibilities of things beyond his control and understanding. Zoom was the worst of the worst; the demonic speedster defied everything Joe had once clung to.

“There are reports of metahumans attacking all over the city,” Joe informed them. He fastened a Kevlar vest across his torso. “The police are out in full force.”

“Guys! We got this!” Barry addressed the group. “We’ve prepared for this.”

His gaze flickered to Caitlin. She hadn’t spoken, her eyes fixed to the monitors. While posing as Jay Garrick, Zoom had connected with Caitlin more than the others. She’d truly believed he was a good person, a speedster struggling to find his way and make amends. She’d liked him, trusted him, and even when Barry had expressed his doubts, she’d stood up for him. She’d learned the hard, bitter way as to what lengths Hunter Zoloman would go to, to get what he wanted. Out of everyone, Jay’s betrayal had hurt her the most.

“Cait,” Barry uttered, stirring her attention from the metahumans on the computer screens. “I need you.”

She looked at him. She wore a look of apprehension. If afforded the luxury, she would have begged him not to go. She loved him. She didn’t want him risking his life. She didn’t want any of her friends out there. But she knew they had to do this. So, she bobbed her head in wordless acknowledgement.

“We’ve got company,” she declared, moving to the helm. “I’m locking the doors.” Her fingers flew over the keyboard, launching Cisco’s new security program.

The monitors clearly showed the band of advancing metahumans. The hand-picked, and deadliest, of Zoom’s troops. He’d sent them to Star Labs. It appeared Zoom intended to bring the fight to Barry. Led by Earth Two’s Black Siren, the late Laurel Lance’s doppelganger, the strike group navigated their way swiftly across the parking lot, to the main entrance, attempting to breach their way inside.

“Let’s go!” Harry, rifle primed, was ready to go. 

“No matter what happens,” Joe uttered to his daughter, “keep the doors locked.” He placed one of Harry’s laser guns in front of Iris. Locking eyes with an uncertain Caitlin, he added, “she’s one hell of a shot.”

“Love you, dad,” Iris hugged her father before moving to hug Cisco, and her oldest friend, in turn. She then moved to sit in front of the monitors and, Joe went to stand at the Cortex’s exit.

“Snow, West, it’s been a pleasure,” Harry, a man of few words, gave a genuine smile, before standing next to the detective.

Coming to stand in front of Barry and Cisco, Caitlin offered a small smile. Though she attempted to look calm and composed, concern paled her pretty features. She’d already lost her first husband Ronnie Raymond, and it was her worst fear to lose anyone else she loved.

“If anything happens, if we don’t…,” Cisco began, pulling letter from his pocket. “I wrote this to my parents. And the other to Dante. Make sure they get them.”

“Cisco Ramon…,” she kept her voice level. “You’re coming back.”

“But if I don’t, please…” he extended the letters and Caitlin look them. 

“Okay.” She stepped forward to hug her best friend.

“We’re coming back,” Cisco assured his best friend, echoing her sentiment, and squeezing her shoulders. They broke apart, Cisco moving to the group, leaving husband and wife to say their goodbyes.

Caitlin’s eyes glistened with tears as she approached Barry. “Be careful.”

“Come here,” he held out his arms and Caitlin moved to him. 

She kissed him hard, promising to stand beside him in battle as she always did, and always would. “I love you.” 

“Me too,” he told her gently, whispering the words into her hair.

“Keep each other safe,” Caitlin uttered after they broke apart. 

“Let’s go!” His mask firmly in place, the Flash was primed and ready. 

-x-x-x-x-x-

Outside, the rain poured down in heavy sheaths from a bruised sky. Vibe, Joe, and Harry moved purposefully. Knowing Black Siren was attacking the front entrance, Harry, his tactical mind in gear, led them from the back exit.

“Ten of them, four of us,” Harry pressed his back against the wall, assessing the situation. “The odds could be worse. You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Vibe uttered, and Joe agreed.

The three men advanced in agile formation. They crept behind the metahumans, who were momentarily distracted by the rush of red and yellow streaks. The Flash halted in front of the army, capturing their attention. Only then did Harry give away the team’s presence with the cock of his rifle. Harry relished the element of surprise.

“Where’s Zoom?” The Flash demanded.

“The Flash,” Black Siren, clad head to toe in black leather, strutted slowly toward him. She offered a wide, black-lipped smile. “We have to stop meeting in such dire consequences.”

“Where’s Zoom?” he asked again.

“He couldn’t make it.” Her eyes locked with his. She placed her hands on her hips. “Looks like you’ll have to make do with me instead.”

The Flash squared his shoulders. He’d dealt with her before; knew what she was capable of. “Give it your best shot,” he challenged, inserting Cisco’s specially developed ear-pieces to withstand the scream of the Siren.

Black Siren chuckled. Her eyes darkened with intent. “I might not be able to make your ears bleed, Speedster, but I can still see to it that you break every bone in your body.”

The Flash challenged her, “you’ll have to catch me first.” He raced a few feet north, and then stopped. As Zoom’s most-valued target, he was banking that Black Siren would delight in being the one to turn him over to her leader.

She took the bait, chasing him. He raced, then halted, allowing her to catch up, keen to lure the metahuman capable of reducing buildings to rubble with a single, shattering scream, away from Star Labs.

To be continued….


	2. Chapter 2

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Two

Earth One

With the Flash and Black Siren racing among the city streets, the team turned their attention to the rest of the army. Rain and wind continued to beat down on them, making visibility an issue. A large, balding man peeled away from his group. Muscular, and bare-chested, he had huge spikes protruding from his back.

“What in the world…? Vibe struggled to finish his question.

“I fought him on Earth Two,” Harry informed the others. “Watch out for his spikes, they’re poisonous.”

“Great, a poisonous Porcupine man.” Quick as the quip left his lips, Porcupine lobbed one of his spines in Vibe’s direction. Vibe ducked, and as he drew back to standing, he noted the sharp instrument had pierced through the wall. Poison, thick, yellow, and putrid, trailed against brick. “Wow! That’s new.”

“Enough! Vibe’s mine!” Dante Ramon’s double, Rupture, revealed himself from the cluster of bad guys. “Take the others.” Brandished his scythe, the expert melee fighter descended upon Vibe. “We have a score to settle.”

“I guess we do.” On a recent trip to Earth Two, Cisco had encountered his doppelganger, Reverb. Cisco had killed him, killed Rupture’s brother, and now Rupture seemed readily determined to extract his revenge.

The two men circled, sizing each other up, assessing how, and when, to strike in the wet parking lot. Rupture, Vibe knew from Harry’s tales, and indeed, from the fighting simulations, had a very distinctive, and unpredictable, style of combat. Engaging in hand to hand combat was unwise. With that knowledge in the forefront of his mind, he kept his distance. Fighting smart was his game plan.

Rupture slashed his scythe dangerously close to Vibe’s hand, and in retaliation, Vibe raised his palm into the space between them. His vibrational blast propelled Rupture through the air. He landed with a thump against the wired fence at the Star Labs’ perimeter.

Vibe, with renewed vigor, stalked forward to the metahuman whose mask made him look like he had bug eyes. Rupture was barely at his feet when Vibe, with the flick of his wrist, sent him flying through the night once again.

-x-x-x-x-x-

 

It fell to Harry and Joe to protect the main entrance. Their biggest threat seemed to be the one Cisco had dubbed Porcupine. Porcupine threw his thorns with reckless abandon. Brutish, he didn’t seem to care who, or what, he hit with his poisonous spines. To Harry’s and Joe’s benefit, he managed to hit one of his own teammates.

With the disgruntled, injured metahuman shouting, and swearing, at Porcupine, and Porcupine cussing enthusiastically back, Joe seized the opportunity and shot the dangerous, spikey metahuman in the knee cap. Not the type of person who could kill without absolute and just reason, the cop decided to incapacitate his enemy. 

“You’re quite the sharp shooter, West,” Harry observed. The heavy-set-porcupine-man went down hard, clutching his bloodied leg in agony, before dragging himself away.

“You’re not too bad a shot yourself,” Joe yelled over the pouring rain. They hadn’t always seen eye to eye. For a time, the team had struggled to trust the new version of Dr. Harrison Wells. But Harry had proved a valuable source of advice and assistance. Joe respected Harry, and even found himself liking him. Something he could never have said about his Earth’s Harrison Wells.

Without warning, the bullet flew through the sky, piercing Harry’s shoulder. He slumped against the wall. He uttered a deep groan from the base of his throat, setting his rifle down to access the damage.

“Harry’s been hit,” Joe reported into his mic.

“I’m opening the doors,” Caitlin’s voice sounded in both men’s ears.

“Not yet, Snow! There’s still too many.” Harry’s hand peeled back his jacket to reveal his blood-soaked shirt. He grunted at the movement, gritting his teeth in a vain effort to conceal the pain. “It’s just a flesh wound. Bullet went straight through.”

Swiftly, Joe ripped a length of fabric from his shirt. Crouching beside him, the other man tied it tightly around Harry’s wound. “This ought to slow the bleeding.”

“I didn’t know you cared, detective,” Harry joked.

“Yeah you did,” Joe answered with a wry smile.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Irritated, Caitlin pushed against the wheels of her chair and stood. She paced, brushing a hand idly through her hair. Breathing deep, she willed herself to focus.

“They’ll be okay,” Iris uttered from her place at the desk.

“Yeah.” Caitlin had complete faith in Barry and the team. She just hated feeling so helpless. Sometimes, especially times like these, she wished she possessed her own powers to aid in the fight. The thought echoed in her head. Without warning, the lights, the computers, and the electronics went down. Everything went black.

Without hesitation, Caitlin hurried to the workstation. Instinctively her fingers pressed buttons and flicked switches. She knew the controls by heart, but nothing worked. The whole system was down.

“Barry?” She called out blindly. “Barry, do you read me? Cisco?” No reply sounded into her ear piece.

“Dad?” Iris uttered, her voice swelling with worry for her parent.

Beside Iris, Caitlin opened a drawer, rummaging for a flashlight. Her fingers searched keenly. She kept a torch in case of emergencies. Her thumb located her prize and she plucked it from the drawer. Switching it on, she bathed the immediate desk space in a murky yellow.

“Could the storm have knocked out the power?” Iris asked after another fork of lightening lit up the sky.

The doctor shook her head. “After the particle accelerator, and Weather Wizard, and Blackout, Cisco made significant modifications. There’s no way a lightning bolt could have caused the blackout.”

“Then what?”

“Me!” The low hissing male voice sounded behind them. Caitlin pointed the flashlight in the general direction of the intruder. At the tap of his approaching footsteps, the two women backed into the center of the Cortex, putting the large desk between themselves, and the unwelcomed visitor.

The man wore a long, leather coat. He was bald, and his whole body was alive with an electrical current. Caitlin’s mind trailed to Blackout, another metahuman capable of conducting, and manipulating electricity. They needed to get away from him. Automatically, Iris picked up Harry’s laser, pointing it squarely at the metahuman’s heart.

“You won’t want to do that,” Caitlin warned. “He’ll feed off it.”

“Got it!” Instead Iris blasted the wall beside the trespasser. The man went down hard. Iris turned to Caitlin and smiled. “Least I could do is give us a head start.”

Caitlin laughed, taking a moment to appreciate the other woman’s quick-thinking. It paid off, stunning the metahuman, and affording them a chance to race from the room. They ran, wanting as much distance between themselves and the electricity-wielding enemy as possible. Flashlight in hand, Caitlin guided their path along the darkened corridors, while Iris held the gun firm and ready.

“There’s a fuse box by the main elevators,” Caitlin whispered. She hoped to restore the power, but failing that, there was a stairwell close by.

“Sounds like a plan,” Iris’s eyes trained over every corner, every shadow, readied and focused. Joe had trained her well.

They rounded the corner, the elevators in sight. At the center of their route, Hunter Zoloman loomed. Cunningly, he’d placed himself between them and the only available exits. The women slowed to a halt. His back toward them, there was a slim possibility that he was unaware of their presence. Tentatively, Caitlin turned off the flashlight, and his large, imposing frame didn’t shift. Quietly, hand in hand, they crept backwards.

Fast than they could draw a breath, Zoom appeared in front of them. His dark eyes blazing with fury behind his blackened mask. Caitlin stood frozen to the spot while Barry’s childhood best friend tugged at her hand.

“Caitlin! Run!” Iris’s cry sounded far and distant in her ears. Caitlin’s heart thundered with an irrepressible fear that she hated and couldn’t explain. “Run!” Iris urged again. In an almost unreal slow-motion Caitlin found control over her body, and the two women dashed back along the same gloomy corridor. 

“Run!” In an almost unreal slow motion, Caitlin found control over her body, and she and Iris dashed back down the same gloomy corridors. Even facing off against the electrical metahuman seemed preferable.

They made it to Cisco’s workshop, locking the door, pushing a desk, and a filling cabinet up against it. Hiding wasn’t the ideal solution, but it would allow them time to regroup.

“You okay?” Iris asked the young doctor.

“Yeah,” Caitlin’s voice was a little shaky. 

“Where is he?” Iris peered through the door’s small window. “I don’t see him.”

While Iris’s back was turned, Zoom appeared out of thin air between the two women. He’d been hunting them, waiting for the exact moment to strike. Iris was unaware he was there. Zoom’s clawed index finger crept to his tar-like mouth.

“Shh,” he snarled warningly. He landed a swift, heavy blow to the back of Iris’s head. She sagged to the floor at Caitlin’s feet.

“Then there were two.” Zoom prowled toward her. Typically, he zipped through time and space. It seemed strange to Caitlin that he seemed content to move at a slower pace.  
“I’ve missed you, Cait.” A talon brushed the hair back from her face. His touch was almost tender and she shuddered involuntarily. He was every bit the monster, and yet, In his warped mind they shared a connection.

“Don’t call me that.” She swiped his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”

“Don’t fight it.” He moved to take her arm. “Come with me. Together we could rule over this world.”

She would fight him. She dodged his grasp, and with unsteady hands, plucked the gun from the floor. The scientist wasn’t an expert in combat like most of the team. Once, she’d fired at Geomancer, and discovered unsurprisingly, that she was a bad shot. Nevertheless, she pointed the gun at him. Willing to chance her luck, she wouldn’t go anywhere with him voluntarily.

“I told you there was a darkness in you.” Zoom stretched out his thick, powerful arms, exposing his chest. “All you have to do is unlock it.”

“I’ll never become like you.” She was a healer. She preserved life, she didn’t destroy it. But she needed to help Iris. She pulled the trigger, hoping to hit his leg. Hoping to slow him down so she could get Iris someplace safe.

The gunshot rang out, deafening her. By sheer luck the bullet pierced his shoulder. Zoom bellowed in agony. His hand flew to the wound.

While he was distracted, Caitlin backed away. She’d caused significant damage. He was losing blood fast. The wound would have been enough to incapacitate a regular human. Gun in her grasp, she crouched beside Iris. She hoped to wake her so they could make a run for it.

“You’ll pay for that,” Zoom roared, descending on her.

With a scarily adept swipe, he knocked the gun from her hand, kicking it away. Dragging her up from where she knelt, he threw her backwards. Her shoulders slapped the cold wall and she crumpled to the floor. She tasked the hint of copper, dazed she struggled to regain her balance.

Zoom cornered her. “Nowhere to run. No Flash. No Vibe. No one to protect you.” He reached forward with his uninjured arm. His thick, gloved, claw-like fingers wrapped around her throat. He lifted her effortlessly from the floor.

Caitlin braced her hands against his unrelenting grip. She felt his fingers tighten, squeezing. Air soon became an issue. A stray tear coursed its way down her cheek. She met those dark, unfeeling eyes, before her vision blurred.

“Don’t cry, I’ve come to bring you home.” Those were the last words she heard.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Three

Earth One

Having lost Black Siren, the Flash raced through the wet streets. He arrived at the besieged Star Labs, finding Vibe battling an alternate version of his brother; the two men were deeply engaged in a bitter rivalry. 

Vibe held his own against the masterfully unpredictable melee style Rupture possessed. Vibe dodged each swing and jab that came his way. Barry admitted, as much as Caitlin would object, that Harry’s program had prepared Vibe with an answer to every trick and swipe Rupture had. 

With the flick of his wrist, Vibe sent Rupture flying. Hitting the wire fence, Rupture landed with a heavy thump. Immediately he picked himself up. His specially designed suit made him virtually invulnerable to any kind of physical damage. He used a gloved hand to wipe dirt and rainwater from his arm. While Vibe and the Flash moved to him, Rupture offered an odd smile.

“It’s been a pleasure, really. But my work here is done.” After a beat to Vibe. “Me and you are far from done.” With that he took off into a run.

The Flash and Vibe exchanged a look. It wasn’t just Rupture fleeing the scene. The army disappeared into the shadows.

“They’re retreating?” Cisco took off his vibe glasses. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” Once sure they were alone, Barry pulled off his mask. His mind clouded with a dull sense of alarm. Something was off. Zoom’s team had a clear advantage. Why give in so easily? “Come on.”

The two hurried to the entrance. They found Harry and Joe stationed at the doors. Barry’s eyes fell to Harry. The scientist was slumped against the wall, holding’s Joe’s shirt to his bloody shoulder. “You’re hit?”

“Nothing to worry about,” the battle-ready man replied. “They’re falling back?” His keen eyes mirrored Barry’s uneasiness. “Why?”

“I don’t know….” Barry spoke into his mic, “Cait, it’s over. You can open the doors”

No response came over the secure channel. 

“Cait?” Nothing. His eyes travelled to Harry and the man dragged himself to his feet with a grunt. Joe moved to shoulder some of Harry’s weight.

“It was a distraction,” Harry voiced Barry’s nagging fear.

Without hesitation, Cisco hurried to the control panel nestled in the wall, beside the heavy doors. He pried the protective metal sheeting from the controls. His fingers skillfully flew over the keypad. Overriding his own security program. The doors rolled apart with a steely groan.

In a heartbeat, Barry sprinted into the core of Star Labs, leaving the rest of follow. He ran into the hood of darkness. Thoughts of Caitlin filled his mind, his chest tightening in fear of what he might find. The lights flickered back on as he slowed into the Cortex. Cisco had restored the power.

Barry’s eyes fixed on the hole in the wall. Then to the upturned chairs, the scattered pages. He swallowed hard. The abandoned monitors spurted back to life, displaying Joe and Cisco assisting Harry to the elevator.

Cautiously, Barry moved forward, calling upon his long-ingrained CSI training to piece together what had happened. Wet, muddy footprints were smeared across the smooth, shiny floor. Male, approximately size twelves, led away from the Cortex. Suspecting the intruder had chased the women, Barry traced the dirty prints past the time vault. But then the trail stopped.

He frowned; in a non-metahuman attack that would have been strange, most unheard of. But many-a-metahumn possessed new and unpredictable ways of disappearing, and avoiding detection. Continuing down the hall, he found the door to Cisco’s workshop on its hinges. With a thundering heart, he dashed forward.

Inside the workshop, Barry found Harry’s rifle, and a flashlight, strewn on the floor. Disturbingly, he found traces of blood, shiny, and still wet. He crouched down to examine it. It wasn’t enough to indicate significant blood loss, but it was enough to concern him. Either Caitlin or Iris were hurt. Or both.

Terror welled up from a dark place. He’d already lost his mother. His attention fixed to the blood spatter on the stark, white wall. There was gunshot residue too. The amount of blood, and the splatter pattern, suggested the wound was significant. Barry’s head swam with the implications. He felt sick to his stomach.

He moved away from the stained wall, leaning on the desk for support. Breathing deeply, slowly the sensation of nausea dispelled. Lifting his head, he spied the shiny platinum and diamonds. The rings were discarded on Cisco’s cluttered workspace. She’d never have taken them off willingly. His unsteady fingers gathered up Caitlin’s engagement and wedding rings.

“Barry?” Cisco’s voice penetrated Barry’s anguish. Cisco made his way inside the room, his line of sight falling to the torch and the gun, and his face paled. Then, he saw his friend holding Caitlin’s rings. “They’re gone, aren’t they?”

“It happened here,” Barry supplied. “There’s blood on the carpet, and the wall.”

“Blood?” Cisco’s voice betrayed his alarm.

“Someone was shot.”

“Shot? How bad?” Before the Particle Accelerator explosion, and the emergence of the metahumans, and the Flash, both Cisco and Caitlin had lived solely for science, and the comfort of tangible, measurable facts. Their lives had been safe. Cisco’s eyes studied Barry’s; he looked to Barry’s expertise to assure him that his best friend was okay.

Barry wished he could give Cisco a firm promise, but all he could do was give him the facts. “Judging by the amount of blood, the wound was significant. Without treatment things could be bad.”

Cisco didn’t speak. He leaned on his desk for support.

“Zoom did this.” Leaving Caitlin’s rings made that painfully clear.

“We’ll get them back.” Scared for Caitlin and Iris, Cisco forced his mind to be positive.

“How could I let this happen?” Barry grasped his head between his palms. The full weight of the night crashed upon him. When Jay Garrick had betrayed them, and revealed his identity as Hunter Zoloman, he’d made his feelings toward Caitlin known. In his warped sense of reality, he believed he and Caitlin shared connection. Both were scientists, passionate in the respective fields. When Jay had worked alongside them, he and Caitlin had shared a camaraderie and a friendship. Jay had mistaken that for more.

Barry recalled vividly, when he and Caitlin announced their engagement, Jay had responded with a-seemingly-uncharacteristic jealousy. For Barry, it was the first warning sign that something was amiss with someone he too considered a friend, and a mentor. Sweet and trusting by nature, Caitlin had defended Jay. When she finally learned the truth, Jay’s betrayal devastated her.

“He was always going to target her, and I left her alone.” It had shocked and unsettled Barry to learn the nature of Jay’s twisted obsession.

“It’s not your fault. We all made the decision.” Cisco reasoned.

“I should have protected her.”

“You did!” Cisco attempted to penetrate his friend’s swelling guilt. “We all did! I built those doors. He wasn’t supposed to be able to use his powers to bypass them. This isn’t just on you. It’s on me too.”

The sentiment offered Barry no comfort. “We have to find them, Cisco.”

“We will.” 

Wordlessly, Barry retrieved supplies from a drawer, and collected samples from both sources of blood. He’d test them immediately. He was hesitant to know exactly whose blood the samples belonged to; afraid of what the results might present him with. But he had to know. Had to know what terrible reality he could be dealing with.

“Where’s Harry?” Barry asked after bagging the evidence. Harry was injured and while at that moment in time he could do nothing for his wife and his best friend, he could help Harry.

“Joe took him to the medical bay. We called your dad, he’s on his way.” Normally they’d rely on Caitlin’s assistance, but now reaching out to Dr. Henry Allen seemed like the appropriate course of action.

They left the workshop, and found Joe and Harry in the medical bay. Harry was resting on the bed. He looked pale from the blood loss, but his eyes were still sharp and attentive.

“Where’s Snow?” Harry asked, looking to Barry.

“He took them,” Barry answered.

“Iris? He took my baby girl.” Despite the tears glistening in his eyes, Joe clenched his fists. Protectiveness flowed through every fiber of the loving and devoted father.

“Are they alive?” Harry asked the one question that was a concern for them all.

“I found the presence of blood on the wall in Cisco’s workshop. Someone was shot. And there was blood on the carpet. I need to test the samples.”

Joe moved to the closest available seat. The fear for his daughter was overtaking him. For as long as Barry could remember, it had always been Joe and Iris. Joe idolized her. She was his whole life; the reason why he went to work and why he worked tirelessly to keep the city safe

“Joe?” Barry’s hands curled at the clear evidence bags. For the first time in his forensics career he was truly afraid of what the results could mean. He looked to the man he considered a father figure. It pained him to see Joe full of concern and worry. Barry felt the exact same emotions. Joe faced the possibility of losing a daughter; Barry faced the possibility of losing his wife, his soulmate.

“Do it! Test it!” The results might break Joe, they might break Barry, but both men had to know the truth of the terrible reality they might be forced to face.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Earth Two

Caitlin sat on the edge of the lumpy mattress. Iris lay unconscious on the twin bed beside hers. Zoom had brought them there. When Caitlin had come to, she’d found herself, and Iris, locked in the small cell.

Three walls of cold concrete made up her prison, with the fourth made of a clear material. It wasn’t glass, it was carbine. She’d scoured each surface, every corner, with her bare hands, searching for any nook of weakness. She’d needed to keep occupied to control her spiraling panic. So far, she’d come up empty.

Blinking away the need to sleep, she looked again to her fingers. He’d taken her rings. She shivered, and forced her mind back to her surroundings. The space beyond the cell was large, mostly empty, with pipes and more cells. She couldn’t hear any sign of traffic, or life outside where they were being held. The only sound aside from hers, and Iris’s, breathing was the sound of dripping water. 

Her tired eyes glanced to the opposite cell. There was someone inside. She could make out the person’s shape from where they lay on the tiny, uncomfortable. Since she’d been awake and searching her confined they’d been sleeping.

Iris groaned lowly from the other bed and Caitlin crossed the gap between them.

“Hey,” she said quietly.

Iris’s dazed eyes blinked and squinted against the overhead lighting. It wasn’t bright but given her head injury it was clearly bothering her. Her gaze widened as she took in the chains hanging from the ceiling. Her horrified expression the one Caitlin had worn when seeing the shackles.

“What is this place?” she managed.

“It’s okay, Iris. Just take it easy.”

“Caitlin? What happened?” The other woman lifted her head from the blazer Caitlin had fashioned into a makeshift pillow.

“Zoom attacked us.”

“My head,” Iris gingerly brought a hand to the welt at the back of her head. “Ouch.”

“You’re going to have a headache for a few days.” The doctor suspected Iris was suffering from a concussion. Without the benefit of medical equipment, she assessed Iris as best she could, helping her sit up and going about standard tests. She’d keep a close eye on Iris in case her symptoms worsened.

“Where are we?” Iris asked then, her eyes spanning their bleak surroundings. “What is this place?

“Zoom’s lair.” Caitlin guessed that’s where he’d taken them. From Harry’s tales, and from what he’d described of where Zoom had held Jesse captive, she was almost certain they were in the same place.

“Are you okay?” Iris gestured to the marks on Caitlin’s neck. 

Unconsciously, Caitlin brought a hand to her throat. It was sore to the touch. She hadn’t seen the bruising. But she remembered all too vividly how hard he’d squeezed. She’d thought he was going to kill her. She recalled how she’d thought of Barry while fighting to remain conscious. She pushed those memories down, and muttered, “I’ll be fine.”

The sudden rush of black and blue teased at the corner of Caitlin’s sight. She turned from Iris, to the entrance of their prison. Zoom manifested in front of them, and Caitlin shivered involuntarily.

Back home she’d gotten so used to Barry appearing and disappearing before her very eyes. The whoosh of air ruffling her hair never bothered her. Being that she shared her life, and her house, with a superhero, that possessed superhuman speed, it all came as part of the territory. 

But Zoom; the way he appeared, the way he moved, the way he looked at her, it was always penetrating and predatory. Zoom terrified her. Yet she still found herself standing and moving to the carbine wall, determined not to show her fear. 

He appeared from the shadows. Dressed as Jay Garrick, he approached their cell. His shoulder was covered by a huge, gauzy bandage. Blood was already beginning to seep through the clumsily applied dressing. His arm hung awkwardly at his side, and she felt a glimmer of satisfaction. 

“You’re lucky I heal fast or one of you would be dead right now.” He focused solely on Caitlin. He was clearly feeling angry and maybe betrayed.

Iris came to stand at Caitlin’s side, “you need to let us go.”

“I don’t need to do anything, Miss West. You’re here purely as leverage.”

“Meaning?” Iris demanded.

“Meaning, your freedom depends on Caitlin. She agrees to join me. You go free.”

Jay stood firm, watching the realization of his declaration penetrate Iris’s understanding.

To be continued….


	4. Chapter 4

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Four

Earth One

Back at Star Labs, Dr. Henry Allen finished dressing Harry’s wound. He taped down the gauze, and looked to the other man sitting patiently on the bed. 

“You’re going to be fine. The bullet passed through cleanly, with no significant damage. With plenty of rest and rehabilitation the wound will heal.”

“Thank you, Dr. Allen,” Harry uttered genuinely.

“Is there anything else I can do?” Henry directed the question to his son. As a father, it was his job to protect his son. Barry had already lost his mother, Henry’s wife. Henry understood painfully what Barry was feeling at the possibility of losing his wife.

“You’re already doing it,” Barry told his father. He was grateful for the support. Having his father there was a source of comfort that gave him added strength. 

Henry outstretched his hand to Barry’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Anytime.”

“The results are in,” Cisco announced entering the medical bay. Barry hadn’t been about to conduct the test himself. and Cisco had stepped up. “The DNA present on the carpet, was a match to Iris West. The DNA sample taken from the wall didn’t belong to either Caitlin or Iris.”

“Zoom?” Barry guessed. It was possible that Zoom had been hit in the exchange. He knew, thanks to Joe’s training, Iris was an excellent shot.

“It’s possible,” Cisco said in conclusion. “Though we don’t have a sample of his DNA to compare it to.”

“So, for now at least,” Joe uttered, keen to be armed with the facts. “They’re both alive?”

“The results from the blood samples support that,” Cisco declared.

“Where would he have taken them?” Barry voiced the question to Harry. With Harry’s injury dealt with, and the test results providing them with a vague glimmer of hope, he was keen to act to get the women back. Out of everyone, Harry had the most input given his previous dealings with the demonic speedster.

“Zoom’s lair,” Harry supplied his best guess, “on Earth Two is in the woods, north of Central City. It’s up high, on a place called Cedar’s Ridge.”

“You’ve been there?” Much of Harry’s life on his home turf remained a mystery. Harry kept his past guarded, only divulging information when needed.

“No. I’ve never been there. It’s not a place anyone goes willingly. No one goes in and no one get out.” The finality in his words served to dampen Barry’s spirits further.

“Way to sugar coat that,” Joe, worried for his only daughter, was in no mood for Harry’s lack of compassion or tact.

“I’m merely stating the facts,” he told the detective.

“You’re a father,” Joe bit, glaring angrily in Harry’s direction.

“You’re right.” It wasn’t so long ago that Jesse’s life was in jeopardy. Zoom had held her captive to use as leverage against Harry. He knew all too well what Joe was going through. It was every parents’ nightmare. “I apologize,” he extended to the other man.

Joe didn’t say another word, but offered a nod, keen to move on from the matter.

“Fighting amongst ourselves isn’t going to help Caitlin and Iris,” Barry voiced then, keen to keep the team focused solely on finding a way to Earth Two and rescuing both women.

Cisco, at Barry’s side, nodded in agreement. The young engineer always had Barry’s back. Given that he viewed Caitlin almost like a sister, he wanted to do everything he could to ensure her safety and bring her back. “So, what do we do?”

At present, they had no way of moving between their Earth, and Earth Two. Along with Jay, who at the time they believed to be an ally, they’d closed that doorway, and every doorway, to every Earth beyond.

But for now, Barry couldn’t think of that. One step at a time; his memory of the blood in Cisco’s workshop was all too vivid in his mind. He needed to know that both his wife and his best friend were alive. “First, we need to know that they’re both okay,” he extended the sentiment to the only person in the room that could give him that guarantee.

Cisco’s dark eyes met Barry’s blue ones and he nodded wordlessly. The once reluctant metahuman seemed glad of his gift in this instance. He moved to the nearest chair and settled into it. He closed his eyes, willing away his surroundings, as he focused on the worlds, and possibilities, beyond him.

Barry watched him. The engineer’s jaw was set, his breathing slowed, he was completely focused on wielding the powers he possessed.

“I see them,” Cisco uttered after a minute had passed. “They’re in a cell.” His eyelids flickered. He willed himself to concentrate, to picture the women’s dire situation, though it caused him pain. “They’re together. They’re scared, but they’re okay.”

“Are either of them hurt?” Barry chanced the question.

“Iris,” Joe’s eyes widened along with a sinking, sickening sensation of worry. Cisco continued,” Iris has a cut on her temple, but she’s okay.” He cocked his head, “I see him. I see Zoom. He’s Jay.” Cisco’s voice faltered as he held tight to the vision playing on his tightly clenched eyelids. “He’s hurt. He wants Caitlin to treat him.”

“Iris shot him,” Joe weighed in with a hint of pride.

Cisco stirred from the vision and took in the reality of Star Labs, and the relieved faces that surrounded him. “They’re okay.” He looked to Barry. “We just need to find a way to rescue them.”

“They’re on Earth Two?” Harry asked.

“Yes, I think so.” Cisco was still trying to hone the fullness of his capabilities, but he’d given them all some hope. Both women were alive, but still in danger. Getting to Earth Two would prove difficult given all pathways to the other Earths were shut off.

There was only one person able to flitter from one Earth to another; Zoom had a strong, clear advantage.

-x-x-x-x-

The storm had died away hours ago. The streets were still wet and slippery from the onslaught. Cars and trucks rushed by, occasionally wheels disturbed deep puddles, sending water splashing up to the sidewalk. Barry walked, shoulders hunched, his hands buried in his pockets in effort to ward off the chill. Before he’d become the Flash, he’d loved to walk to streets at night. It helped clear his head; there was something beautiful about seeing his home town beneath the shiny, city lights.

Under the glimmering streets, with the hustle of traffic, and the humdrum of everyday life, he was offered no comfort of distraction. The team had collectively decided to get some rest, and Barry, needing to be out of Star Labs had decided to take a walk. He made for their home. He felt the strong pull to be around all things Caitlin.

They’d chosen somewhere north of the city. A recently-restored, spacious townhouse, with hardwood floors, and large windows, overlooking the water. They’d envisioned lazy summer nights, watching the sun go down while sipping wine on the decking. They had a large, grassy garden to raise the children they planned on having. Both were still young and in no immediate rush.

Caitlin had taken on the role as decorator. She had a vision of what she wanted. Barry was more relaxed and laid back. They’d gone to auctions on Saturdays, Caitlin choosing her bids carefully, claiming she didn’t want every item of furniture they owned to have come from Pottery Barn. She’d had a good eye, slowly collecting classic items, and adding a modern flair.

She’d wanted to hire a painter. Coming from money, she’d never wielded a paintbrush, never wallpapered, she’d admitted. Barry, growing up with his parents, and then Joe and Iris, had been taught to be self-sufficient around the house. With some coaxing, he’d had her doing both. She even assembled a book care. They’d had fun creating and building their new home.

Reaching the house, Barry made his way up the steps, to the porch. He unlocked the door and pushed his way through the darkened corridor. He dropped his keys on the little table in the hall before going to the kitchen. He opened the fridge. In no mood to eat, he pulled out a beer and took a long swig.

Traipsing through to the lounge he found his way to the dresser. He lifted their wedding photo. She’d looked breathtaking that day. The dress so very Caitlin, delicate, simple, classic, and elegant. She’d worn her hair loose in long waves. In the picture, she’d been smiling into their kiss. 

“Welcome home, Barry,” Zoom’s voice sounded on the darkness. 

Barry hadn’t hit the lights and Zoom blended unsettlingly well with the darkness. It was only when he spoke and Barry turned in that direction that he saw the demonic speedster sitting on the couch.

“Where is she?” Barry demanded and flicked on the lights. 

Zoom’s blackened eyes gleamed through the thick mask. They held the menacing twinkle of his victory. After so long, he’d gotten one over Barry Allen. He seemed intent to savor the moment, and claim his success over Barry’s failure.

Barry hadn’t bothered to hit the lights and Zoom blended unsettlingly in the darkness. It was only when the demonic speedster stood up from the breakfast that Barry saw him.

“She’s fine. I would never hurt Caitlin.” The way he spoke, even in his exaggerated, demonic snarl, he truly believed what he was saying. In his warped mind, he loved Caitlin, and kidnapping her, taking her away from her home and friends, was his way of proving that to her.

“And Iris?”

Zoom made a noise through the grated mouth of his mask. Barry suspected it may have been an attempted at a laugh. “The web. The wife and the best friend. They’re both fine.”

“Let them go! Take me in their place.” The offer of a trade left his mouth faster than he could think it through. It didn’t matter. He’d gladly give his life for them.

“So noble! So heroic!” Zoom’s heavy step sounded on the hardwood floor. He crossed toward Barry. “The hero in his most dire hour. But I have other plans for you.”

Barry looked at him. The way he was moving. Normally so agile, despite his vast size. Something was wrong. His left arm hung at his side. Clearly it was bothering him. From Cisco’s vibe, he knew Zoom had been shot. What was interesting was the fact that he didn’t seem to be healing like he should.

It was a nugget of insight Barry tucked away in his mind, hoping to use to his advantage somewhere down the line.

“What plans?” Barry asked, happy to distract Zoom and get him to divulge more information.

“A race. You win, I let your beloved Caitlin go. You lose, and she’s mine forever.”

Barry scoffed. It was absurd. He’d never gamble Caitlin’s life and freewill. “There’s no way.”

“We’ll see about that.” 

At that precise moment, Zoom’s clawed hand cut through the atmosphere. In a single swipe, he penetrated the link between their Earth, and another entirely. His good arm seized a hold of the young, fellow speedster, and dragged him through the breath.

Momentarily caught, Barry fought to stop Zoom’s unknown intent. The two crashed on the hard asphalt in the middle of a parking lot. Barry struggled, and landed a blow to Zoom’s injured shoulder and he roared in agony. 

Zoom released Barry and Barry pulled himself to standing, groaning against his body’s protests. Zoom was on his feet a half-a-second later.

“Welcome to Earth Two,” Zoom hissed.

“Earth Twenty? What’s so special about Earth Twenty?”

To be continued….


	5. Chapter 5

In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter 5

Earth Twenty

The purple sky opened, dropping Barry and Zoom on to the hard ground in the middle of an empty parking lot. Barry landed in a puddle, water slapping him in the face, and soaking his jacket and shirt. Panting, he pulled himself up, dusting off dirt and water.

Momentarily caught off guard, Zoom swung for him. His thick arm sent Barry back to the ground. Recovering quickly, Barry dashed for him, landing a blow to Zoom’s shoulder, and put some distance between them. The speedster roared in pain.

“Welcome to Earth Twenty,” Zoom rasped, clutching his arm.

“Earth Twenty?” Barry’s brow furrowed. He couldn’t fathom the significance. “Why Earth Twenty?”

“You’ll see.” The glint was back in his black pupils. Earth Twenty meant something. Zoom punched through the air, tearing apart the atmosphere. He bolted, the breach disappearing with him.

Hunching against the chilly rush of wind, Barry walked forward, in hopes of finding something familiar in an unfamiliar world. Earth Twenty’s Central City was unlike anything he’d seen. The parking lot was empty aside from a few abandoned, wrecked cars. They’d been stripped of wheels, engines and other parts. Doors hung off their hinges, windscreens were smashed. Shards of glass littered the ground. Broken parking meters lolled on their stands.

Barry heard the drunken murmur of a street walker. A man, half obscured by the shadows of the night. He looked thin and fragile. But the way he leered in his tattered clothes and drunken stupor, Barry kept his distance. The man met Barry’s gaze, wordlessly offering a warning not to cross him and holding a bloodied knife.

Suspecting he was infringing on the man’s turf, Barry moved casually away. That seemed to appease the man who went about his business, concealed by a row of dumpsters. The rest of the parking lot was totally void of life or activity. Once out of the car park, and on the streets beyond, he caught sight of a woman pushing a trolley, heavily laden with her possessions. He offered her a wad of bills, and the woman shrilly refused his charity.

Walking the city streets, this version of Central City was a far cry from the twinkling, beautiful one he’d grown up in. Most of the street lights were muted and broken. Graffiti marked every available space on walls and doors, offering notions of hope, and threats of death.

Earth Twenty was alien and hostile. Trash cans, ablaze with fire, were placed sporadically on the streets. The homeless gathered around them, in a vain attempt to ward off the chilly air. It made a terrible sense that Zoom chose to bring him here. Barry suspected Zoom had conquered this Earth a long time ago. Houses and windows were boarded up, to keep people away, or to keep the occupants barricaded inside. He wasn’t sure which, but suspected he didn’t want to know.

Barry stopped at a wall whose bleak display depicted Zoom as an angel of terror. The artist had painted Zoom reigning over the town’s people. The demonic presence was one that no one would talk about, but who everyone feared. 

Having seen enough, and when he was sure no one was looking, Barry raced through the city. He found Star Labs in the process of being torn down. The once grand, state-of-the-art structure stood half demolished. The immediate area was cordoned off.

With a deep, disappointed breath, he continued to pass the places he hoped he’d find assistance. The West’s house, slightly out of the city, was home to a family of four. A father, mother, and two boys sat on the couch, watching a grainy television screen, oblivious to the man looking in. Cisco’s apartment building, he later discovered, was a rundown night club. Feeling deflated, and worried for Caitlin, Iris, and the others, he slowed to a walk in the streets of downtown.

Barry was hungry. His altercation with Zoom, and dashing about the city, had zapped his energy. Coming up empty in the search for someone, some connection, had left him in need of a break. The dizziness and shaking were beginning to take effect in his body. With his energy levels low, he walked down the eerie street looking for somewhere to eat.

Most store-fronts were boarded up. Hand-scrawled signs claimed the business had shut down. His options were few and unappealing. There was no sign of diners, restaurants, or coffee shops. He scanned the cross-street for even a hot dog vendor, or a convenience store, and struck out.

The only real option was a run-down building with neon-red lights advertising beer and girls. Not Barry’s scene. He had every intention of moving on, until the sickening feeling of weakness and nausea crept up his spine. He needed food.

Conceding defeat, Barry moved to push through the heavy doors. Two men, boasting thick muscles and tattoos, patted him down for weapons, charged him an entry fee, and warned him not to take photographs in the club. After that he was free to go inside.

Loud, pulsating music blared in the crowded, smoky bar. Apparently on this Earth there was no non-smoking ban enforced in public places. Women danced on platforms dotted around the murky room. People were clustered in groups around the thriving establishment.

The patrons were mostly male, and in various stages of drunkenness. Some looked at him. In the blue cashmere sweater Caitlin had bought for his birthday, he stood out among the men in stained jeans and beer bellies straining against the buttons of lumberjack shirts. He avoided eye contact. The stares burned at his skin. They were none too friendly.

Ignoring the glances, Barry walked to the bar. Scanning the area, he took note of the women working, flirting, dressed in bikinis or underwear whilst men leered over them.

“Hey, what’ll it be cutie?” The flirtatious red-head behind the counter asked. She leaned forward, giving Barry a seductive smile and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Barry, being a gentleman, looked front and center. “A beer, and a burger.”

“You’re brave, the food here sucks.” Idly chewing on her gum, she popped open a bottle and set it down in front of him with a clink. “Not from around, here, are you?”

“Just passing through.” He took a long swig of beer, the icy liquid trickled soothingly down his throat.

“Hey sweetheart,” a middle-aged balding guy shouted in the red-head’s direction. “Talk on you own time, not mine.”

The woman rolled her eyes, tutting in an exaggerated manner. To Barry, she offered, “do yourself a big favor, pass by real fast?” With that, she slunk to the drunken, demanding group at the end of the counter.

Barry tried to ignore the irony. A server soon set his meal in front of him. With no place to go, he sat and ate his burger. It was barely warm and greasy, but it was edible and stifled his hunger. He stared at the muted television in the corner, above the shelving, and rows of glasses and liquor bottles. The headlines ran on by; murders, attacks, and metahumans. This version of Central City was a beacon of hopelessness and ruin.

“I’m Lu, the red-head returned. Her breath was tinted with the smell of alcohol and cigarettes. She set a beer in front of him. “And this one’s on the house.” 

“Barry,” He gave a nod of thanks for the drink.

“So, tell me, what’s your type, Barry?”

“Type?” It took him a moment to understand the question. He’d never really dated. He’d loved Iris when he was a kid. Then he’d met, and eventually, fallen in love with Caitlin.

“You know…, blondes? Brunettes? Red heads?” Lu twirled her hair around her fingers. “Or are you…you know?” she teased when she didn’t get a reaction out of him.

“No, no…I’m married.” He held up his ring for emphasis and felt the pang spread through him. 

“Oh, bummer.” She gave an exaggerated pout. “Well there’s plenty to see around here. And, by the way, I think you’re hot,” she said with a wink. “Let me know if you need anything, Barry.”

Lu sauntered off and Barry took a swig of beer. With the evening teetering to a close, and having no place to go and rest until morning, he wasn’t in a hurry to go back to the streets. The hostility from the regulars had died down and no one bothered him. So, he sat, his eyes idly wandering to the stage occasionally at the different performers. 

Women periodically approached him, flirting, and offering him a private dance. Politely he turned them down. None of them were Caitlin. His hand inched into his jacket, to her two rings Zoom had left for him to find. Under the hue of alcohol, he felt the anxiety swell within him. He knew the effects of the alcohol would pass quickly but his worry would remain. He had no idea what Zoom was planning. He needed to get home. Needed to get Caitlin and Iris back.

Determined to leave, Barry downed his drink and stood up. He began weaving through people in search of the exit. The drunken crowd stirred to life as Kenny Mack, the club’s owner, announced the night’s final act. Shouts of ‘Angel’ rang out. Clearly, she was a popular act.

The music changed from the suffocating, thumping base, to a slow and seductive rhythm. The low lighting turned a blueish hue, with a hint of silver. The demanding crowd began to settle.

Angel descended from above. On a glittering seat, carefully lowered to the stage on strings. All part of the act Barry guessed as he weaved through the transfixed group, intent on finding the closest exit.

She floated down to the stage. Her long legs crossed at the knee, encased on shimmering, white stockings. The swing was lifted behind her after she dismounted. She sashayed to center stage. Barry stopped at the front of the crowd. Her performance was the first he’d watched close-up. He was oddly fixated. He supposed it was because her act was different.

She was a vision; distant, distinctive, otherworldly. He couldn’t help but stare at the mysterious beauty. He shouldn’t. He didn’t understand why he was so enthralled. There was simply something about her. Something that meant he couldn’t look away. Her long, white-blonde hair fell in long, tumbling waves. The barely-there costume was made of silver, blue, and white sequins.

“They all come for the Angel.” Lue propped herself up on the stage beside him, sipping on vodka and lemonade.

“Who is she?” he asked her.

Lu chuckled knowingly, “See, told you you’d find something you like.”

The music picked up its tempo. A dance number, a woman began to sing on the track. Angel began her dance, swaying her hips, moving lithely around the crowd’s outstretched hands. Her movements were overtly sexual, though she carried herself with such grace. In total control over her body, her moves were almost balletic.

She blew an icy kiss in the direction of the closest patrons, and Barry set his beer on the stage. He shuffled along, following her as she crossed to the other side of the stage, much to the annoyance of the captivated audience. Lu followed, telling a burly security guy that he was with her.

Taking to the pole, Angel twirled effortlessly. She twisted and blew more ice from the palm of her hand toward the leering onlookers. Barry made it to her, standing on the floor opposite her. Her eyes met with Barry’s for a split second as she spun. She blew him a kiss. In such proximity, Barry braced himself for the rush of ice, but it never came as the flakes settled on his jacket and sweater.

On closer inspection, he realized they were a fine, glittery substance. ‘Angel dust’ to accompany the act. Up close as she stilled and winked, he saw the two cuffs on her wrists, full of sparkling glitter. Barry cursed himself inwardly for his foolishness.

Her dance reached its end, and the music faded. Angel dismounted the pole. The audience called her name and she basked in the glory. She moved to the stage’s edge, her movements again slow and suggestive. She was so close to the all-engrossed crowd, but she never let any of them touch her. She seemed determined to remain a notion of fantasy.

She blew a final kiss. As the dust settled Barry finally saw her face. She stood. Breathing deeply, her eye makeup glittering.

Barry saw the face he’d committed to memory. He knew every curve, every freckle. The little scar under her right eyebrow. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Angel was Earth Twenty’s version of the woman he loved.

Caitlin Snow of this world couldn’t have been more different, but she was still breathtakingly beautiful. He felt his chest tighten with a mixture of concern and relief. Finding Caitlin’s doppelganger was a step in the right direction. A step closer to getting home.

Barry stood rooted to the spot, watching Angel waltz from the stage, leaving her captive viewers bewitched.

“So, you like the Angel?” Lu asked as Barry returned to the bar. Her eyes twinkled as she supplied, “she’s everyone’s favorite.”

“How much for a private room with Angel?” Barry needed to talk to her. Had to talk to Angel. Or Caitlin. Or whatever she wanted to call herself in this world.

Lu looked a little disappointed but readily supplied the information. “Sorry honey, but she gets off after this performance.”

“I really need to talk to her.”

“Aww,” Lu pouted, “you got it bad, huh? She leaned over the counter and whispered, “look, I like you, so, for a price, I’ll get you a meeting.”

“How much?” He asked, not needing to think the offer over.

“Two hundred bucks.”

“Two hundred?” Barry repeated the demand incredulously.

Lu merely shrugged. “You wanna meet the Angel or not?” She pursed her lips and held out her palm. She knew she had him.

Barry conceded with a single nod, “okay.”

“Up front.” She wiggled her fingers and Barry handed over the money. “Give me thirty minutes. Go outside, wait by the back door. I’ll let you in.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

 

Barry waited in the splattering rain, beside a couple of overflowing dumpsters. There was a chill in the air but he didn’t feel it. He was wired. He wanted to go home, and she was his first connection in this almost post-apocalyptic world.

Lu appeared, saying goodnight to her fellow co-workers, and sauntering over to him.

“Hey,” she said with a wink. “You ready, Romeo?”

“Romeo?” He’d never been likened to the tragic hero in Shakespeare’s play, and frankly it left him feeling most uncomfortable.

Lu brushed it off with a shrug and a smile. “Relax. I’m gonna give you everything you wanted. And more. Come on,” she pushed the heavy door back open.

Barry followed her down the quiet corridor. They passed a couple of girls, done for the night, dressing in skinny jeans and counting the wads of dollars they’d made.

“Here you are, the door to the princess’ tower,” Lu pointed to Angel’s dressing room. “Though if she, or anyone, asks I didn’t let you in.”

Barry nodded, “no problem.”

“Good luck,” Lu lite up a cigarette and walked away.

Now alone in the quiet corridor he took a long, deep breath. He knocked softly on the door.

“Come in,” came the agonizingly familiar voice. The non-committal tone he remembered from when he’d first known Caitlin, and when she seemed so cold and so distant from the world around her.

He entered her dressing room, and saw that her hair was brown. The white wig was case aside and sitting on a mannequin. She sat quietly, wiping her face clean of makeup. She was wrapped in a silky robe. Her dressing table was cluttered with tubes, bottles, powders; a various assortment of makeup and beauty products. Along with curling irons, a half empty bottle of vodka, and a packet of cigarettes.

“Everything okay back there?” she called out casually. She titled her head to see him. When she saw, the stranger reflected in her mirror, she leapt from her chair, and rounded on him.

Up close, and without her costume and glittering makeup, Earth Twenty’s version was unsettlingly different. Her hair was the same rich shade of brown, but longer, falling to her waist in long, tumbling waves. She was at least ten pounds lighter than the woman he loved. Her felt protective toward her, but didn’t understand why. Being thinner gave her a more haunted look. Her eyes were weary and distrustful. Off stage, this version of Caitlin Snow seemed terrified and broken. Her left eye was bruised, and without the aid of glistening eye makeup, looked swollen.

“What the hell?” She drew her hand protectively to the front of the robe.

“The door was open.” He tried to act casual, and he instantly regretted meeting her this way. He’d wanted to see her. But in retrospect he should have waited, prepared how he’d approach her, and what he’d say.

“Oh really?” Her brown eyes were wild with disbelief. “Who are you and what do you want?” she demanded.

“That’s complicated, if you’d just…”

“Complicated?” She cut him off, “I’ll give you complicated. I’ll scream,” she warned. Her voice grew louder. “Who are you and what do you want?” she demanded again.

“Shh,” Barry held his finger to his lips. He didn’t approach her, hoping she’d understand that he didn’t mean her any harm. “I just want to talk.”

“Talk?” She uttered incredulously. It was clear she didn’t believe him. “You come to my dressing room and you want to talk?”

“I can explain. Just give me five minutes’ okay? Please.”

“You have one!” She folded her arms firmly at her chest, “Use it wisely.”

“My name is Barry. Barry Allen.” He watched for any glimmer of recognition, or any hint of a reaction, but it never came. He struggled with what to say next. There was so much he wanted to say to his Caitlin. That he was worried for her, and that he was doing everything he could to get back to help her. To save her from Zoom’s clutches. But seeing this version of her; strong yet broken, so unlike the one he knew on the surface but underneath that she was also so similar. It messed with his head, and pulled at his heart. 

“Sorry, but I don’t know you,” she uttered after a beat. “I think you have me confused with someone else. And your minute’s up.” Barefoot, she padded toward the door and tugged at the handle. “Leave now and I’ll forget this ever happened.”

“Cait!” He spoke her name in sheer desperation. He watched her rich, brown eyes shadow with both doubt and recognition in the same blink. 

“Get out!” her voice rose higher. 

“Caitlin, please just listen to me,” he moved toward the door and pushed it shut. 

Her lovely eyes shone with alarm, and flashed to a light shade of blue for a split second. They faded back to brown before he could draw a breath, but he was certain he hadn’t imagined the transformation. The recognition that the Caitlin Snow of this world may be a metahuman swelled within him.

“Get out! Or I’ll have you thrown out.” Without her heels, she was a good few inches shorter than him. She stared up at him with a steely gaze, determined not to seem afraid. 

“I’m sorry.” Defeated, and not knowing truly who she was in this reality, Barry turned and left her dressing room.

To be continued….


End file.
